Book-supporting device



Nav. 17, 1925- 1,562,275

-' J. M. ARMSTRONG BOOK SUPPORTING DEVICE Uli! n|| Il,

Nav. 17. 1925.

A nl

l l Z *1; n A7J 7 6 Patented Nov. 17,1925.

UNITED STATES A'rjENr critica.-

JOSEPH ivi. ARMSTRQNG; or ALEXANDRIA; vinGrNIA.

This invention relates to book-suploortingk devices adapted for use in connection with book-cases, book-shelves and the like.v

W'lien books are snugly or compactly positioiied in the existing book-cases, it is difficult to withdraw them, and they can only be i removed by gripping the back of the book at the upper edge thereof, which action loosens the leaves and eventually destroys the book. InV existing arrangements the outer sides `of* the books rub against each other during the insertion-and withdrawal ofthe book, thereby mutilating the binding, which .action is especially-.noticeable in the better quality books. It has alsobeen observed that when books are placed in" ordinary shelves, the'leaves, due tothe f aot that the book sides are of greater dimension than the leaves themselves, vtend to drop. to engagement with'tlie shelf thereby exerting astress on theupper portion `of thebookbinding which Veventually loosens the leaves.

lIn thepresent bookcases it is also difficult to keep the books inaline'mentrto presenta uniform appearance, and when one or'more of the books have beenremoved the remain. Ving books tend vto .topple` over andi-`rest against'the adjacentlbook or side. ofthe shelf thus presenting an unsightly'appealr- An object of this invention vis. ;jt oiprovide a book-supporting device comprising means for maintaining the booksi'nalinement and always in an upright position `upon.the-shelf, A

as well as means forl slightlyspacjing the books in order to preventVK the books rubbing Aagainst each other. 4 i

i nother object of the invention isr to provide means for facilitating the 'withdrawal of the books from the case or shelf and to provide means for supporting the leaves of each book independently ofthe side `members of the book-cover, thereby relieving the book-cover or back of all stresses while the :books are positioned on the shelf. 'i Y 1 Another object of this invention is to pro- '.vide abook-supporting device of generally.

immoreel zestriietien, aherebyithe device drawings, wherein: g ,l

`taken on'aline 6*-6 of` Figure 4. g f

R ferringto the drawings, there'is :sho

BooK-sorronrme DEVICE.

Appiieation niea'rebruar'y 7, i921. serial 1ro. 443,085.` l

will be simple.diirable and inexpensive ,inl c construction, as well as convenient, practi'-l cal, serviceable, and efficient inl its use. f I

lVith'the foregoing and other objects in.

view which will appearas the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and 'in the details .of construction hereinafter Idel l scribed and claimed, it being understood Vthat changes in the precise embodiment of the invention liereindisclosed, may be made` within the lscope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.;

. The invention has. beenillustrated` in its preferred embodiment inthe accompanying y Figure 1 is ap'erspective viewof ay por-v tion of the 'device showing it appliedftoa sh-elvingstructure.;

Ashelfof an ordinary bookcase, ,or avfboolr Figure 2 is 'a diagrammatic view showing 1 1 the relation Vof the guide members of the base andthe guide ceiving member;

members of tlie'book rel i lFigure vl isla diagrammatic". view tlie 1 lower portion ofthejbook in its 'fposition upon an ordinaryv shelf, showingv the [positions assumed byl thev lower edges ofthe book leaves; l

Fl'gure Llfis a transverse sectional lview' taken throughan ordinaryv book-oase or i' shelf, showing the book-supporting-.device`- yapplied thereto.; y Figure 5 Vis an enlarged` fiagmental secyFigure Gis a horizontal sectional viewf A e0 tional viewt-aken on'a line 5-5fo`f Figuref i i y a shelfA and-a back Bfof an ordinarybook-- case, and a base'member 1 isjpositionedupony a shelf A.The'ba'se member l isprovided with a plurality '-of'vspaced' guide members *y or tracks 2 which'- are arranged in vp'airsand extend transverselyof the base member :11. This basemember is preferably `formed of sheet metal and the'tracks or guide mem-v y bers'2 are formed by bending the base 1 upwardly at vpredetermined points andthen shown,- thus forming the reinforcedr guide member orV trackA 2- of double thickness. i l. Those portions of the basel thatflie between theseparatepairspf guide members 105 -bending vthe metal j back upon itself, as

Qfareslightly spaceclfrom the shelfto provids supportingStripyand the Imlllll l portions of; the base .engage the shelf-A, to

v which the base is secured by screws or other suitable securing devicesv 5. Each Vguide member 2 is inclinedawoutwairdly tosytorln overhang-ing tracks to cooperate with instrunientalities hereinafter disclosed.

A. book receiverV or book holder is provided and comprises .a bottom 'Gand opposed side-'supporting members or flanges i PO ` action loosenslvthe-leaves' and 'leads to the destruction of the book. In order 'that selectedbo'ok-y nia y be withdrawn from thev bo-okft-a'seor "71 "The bottonfr' is 'bent downwardly and inwardlyat points adjacent the side flanges Z to-provide opposed guideV nieinbers 8 which vcooperate with the -giidc lmembers ,2 vet the Lloas'e, thereby 3roviding` rneans for :slidably "securingthe book holderto the base 1'.

Fromthe lower terminals et the guidepnieni- Ybers' -8 the.' bottoni of the book holder eX- ;tends outwardly to provide opposed channels 9, andlthe bottoins of' the channels liebe low, the plane of 'the' inain bottonov in order to receiveithe lower edge-s ot the sides C of ordinary book. By this arrangement thebottoin ot'- thebcokholder is offset to forni a central'plat'forin lO to vsupgoi't the leaves D of a book and opposed" channelsto vsurpportftheopposed' sides() of thebook.

readily i i ,veglia means are provided to automatic `ll Y' inove that ift may be easilygraspedxand rei overl. 12elfde-bleactimt- I guide Vine'rnb'ers and Vhas its -ifree vend! "positioned i-n the path] oliA inovenientf-oftl Y@ Y(lg-c fot thej botto-1n ,6 oit lthe book h` prises a'l-eat spring' lfhaving one *en-d lses cured toy the base l, and the opposed end extends outward-ly beyond'therontedge of thejbasoto provide a manipulating/jnger 13 which finder has a shoulder A' torin'ed at its inner terininalto cooperate with asho'uilder or stop "fingerV l5 -iv'hioh is ytermed by turninga' portion of the bottoni oli-the 'book holder downwardly, as lshov'vn. VK

In use, a boo-k is placed within thefbook holder y and the sidetlanges 7 engages theopposed sides C of theloo'ol;V and hold it in an 'upright position, in `vhieh position the member l5. int-he Ineantinie iiithe book is not in correct position within the lbookl holder, the rearward pressure exerted .against ythe book after the engagement of the holder l with the spring` ll, will vcanse the book to slide rearwardly within .the book holder until the lowerportiono the book-'back ll engages the' frontend of the book holder bottoni or plattornild as Vshown in Figure 65 therefore causing' all'thev boo'kbacks ito be positioned inpertect a'linenient within the case thuspresenting` a :uniformv appearance. ldlhen it is desired to remove a book troni theV ease or shelf, a slight downward pressure "is eerted upon the o'uterend'oit ther anipulatin to r.yield to permitthe-.shoulder lll' to move troni engagement lwith the stop r orfshorilder 'Y l5 ot the book holdeg,` which aotion'releases the vbookholderiand allows the spring "l1 to m .v, t "1': 1:," y". 'n ,11 slide the book holder and Look toi wai dry. New thebook'may readily *Vlie-gripped and `withdrawn from the oase,`

"lhe bookv holder" mayf'beI partlyY or veri-- tirely withdrawn with the book, and' when -the device 'is arranged" for vthe complete dis# engagger'nentv of the book' holder vwith re- 'spoot to the guidefineinbers ofthe Vibase1 the guidemeinbers S-'Qfthe book holder andthe gnide Vmembers v2 fof the base l' arenoft Aafrti-nger 13, which causes the spring` l2 "ranged in parallelism,` but their rear! ter# annals-'are slightly farther apart ythan their" `front endgas .shown-1n "Figure 3; 'lhns "when it''isil desired' =`to Aplace/*the book holder ywithin the oase,` the broad rearterm-i'nals f of f the book holder guide; .member-s' 8' loosely engage' the trontt-errriinal 'of' Ithfeyhasel gu' le niernb'ers 2; which permits the easy' engagelnent' of these guide members. bookholder r4is" moved rearwardly these guide'inemb'ers more Aclosely engage Veach other and when the book holder has vreached 'its rearmostfpositi'on, the` separate 'guide -Ineinbers lfirmly engage each other7 thus in suring a 'firm supportifor' the book,

'lll/'hen thev holderV is designed tor total 'disengagement'trom the base guide member 2,` it can beadvantageously einployedto hold a nurnber'fof separate Vpapers or'- pamphlets and the like, and the f'holder' with its contents may be moved to desired places, -t- Vis also ad'vantageonsy to ltotally:disengage the book hdlders" from the ibase-when itis `But als the bottom being bent downwardly' and out--y wardly at points adjacent the .side flanges to define opposed channels for the reception of the lower edges of the sides of the book and to define a leaf-supporting platform between the said channels.

2. A book holder formed of sheet metal and including a. bottom, opposed side flanges extending upwardly beyond the highest Y point of the bottom, the 'bottom being bent `downwardly and outwardly at vpoints adjacent the side flanges tov define opposed channels for the reception of the lower'.

edges of the sides of a book and to Vdefine a leaf supporting platform between lthe-said channels. v f

A book supporting device including a base, opposed guide members carried by the base, a book holder formed of sheet metal `and comprising a bottom, opposed side fianges'extending upwardly from the bottom to engage and support the sides of a book, said bottom being bent downwardly and'outwardly at points adjacentl the side flanges to define opposed channels for the reception of the lower edges of the sides. of the book and to define a leaf supporting platform between the said channels, t-he downwardly bent portions engaging vthe guide members of the base to slidablyf secure the book holder to the base-. l y.

Ll. A book supporting device including a base, opposed guide members extending upwardly and outwardly from the base to .thereby overhang the base, a book fholdeif formed of sheet metal and comprising 'a bottom,l opposed side'flanges extending upward- 'ly from the bottom to engage Vandsupport the sides of a book, said bottom being bent downwardly'and inwardly at opposed' points to form guido members which interfit with the guide members of the base to slidab-ly secure the book holder to the base against vertical movement.

5. A book supporting device including a base, opposed guide members extending upwardly and outwardly from kthe base yto thereby overhang the base, a book holderV formed of sheet metal and comprising a bottom, opposed side flanges extending upwardly from .the bottom to engage and :supportthe sides of a book,'said bottom being bent downwardly and inwardly at opposed points to form guide members which interfit with the guide members of the base to slidably f secure the book holder to the base vagainst vertical movement, the lower portions of the guide members of the book holder being bent outwardly to define with the side. flanges opposed channels for the reception of the-lower edges of the sides of the book and toform y a leaf-supporting channels.

6. A book supporting device including al sheet metal base, guide members .formed inte'gral with the base by bending the metal platform between the said .upwardly at' opposed points and then bending it downwardly upon'itself thereby prebook holder and interfitting with the guide members of the base to V'slidably secure the book'holder'to the base. 7.k A book supporting device including a 'so senting a double thickness ofmetal, a book holder, and guide members carried by thebase, opposed longitudinally disposedfg'uide .y

members carried the base,a bookholder,

opposed longitudinally disposed guide inembers carried .by the lbook holder, the guidey n'iembers, of the baseand book holder `being spaced fartherapart at one terminal than?` at theopposed terminal to permit the ready i l i engagement of the'book holder guide'members with the base guide members.

8. A'book supporting device including a o base, guide members carriedby the base, a

book holder having an offsetleaf-'si'ipportmembers` of the base to. slidably sec'iire'tlie book holder to the base, yieldable actuating means for sliding the book holder in lone l i direction, and vmeans positioned between the base and the leaf-supporting platform for Y holding the book holder againstthe action f of the yieldable actuating means and for'releasingthe book holder for sliding movement responsive to the'action ofthe yield .'1'11'0 g" device'. including a. i

able actuating means. y

9. A book supportin base, gui.de'ineinbers carriedfby the blasfeya bookgh'older,guide members Carried by fthe`r .book holder andfcooperating with fthe guidej book holder to the base, yieldable actuating means for sliding the book holder in one dimembers of the'baseto slidably secure vthe ing platform, guide members carried by the i book holder and cooperating .with the guide 109 i'ection,a spring secured to the base and normally engaging thebook holder to hold the 'I book holder against the yaction of the yieldable actuating means, and a manipulating finger extending from the springlbeyond the book holder to permit manualdisengagement of the spring from the book holder.

In testimony whereof I aliix my signature.

,rosari-i M.V ARMSTRONG; 

